Gold Coast Art Fair 2025 in Chicago

The Gold Coast Art Fair is an annual event, taking place at Chicago’s Grant Park every June. The Bulter Field in Grant Park, on the corner of Monroe and Lake Shore Drive, gets filled with booths of 300 juried artists, working with different mediums: paintings, ceramics, wood, sculpture, jewelry, and more. In addition to thousands of quality art pieces, the art fair features three zones with live music, cold beer, and great food. The fair is a great place for a picnic with the Chicago's iconic skyline on the background.

Art Fair Highlights

In addition to browsing through artists' booths, visitors can create their own masterpieces at painting classes, enjoy artistic demonstrations, interactive art projects, live music, and much more. A diverse lineup of performers is available on three stages! The family-friendly Kids Art Zone helps kids get creative with art projects, face painting and various workshops at Kid Friendly Art Tent & Live Art Demo stations. Attendees can also donate their gently used art to Chicago Furniture Bank, a nonprofit that distributes furnishings and art to those leaving shelters.

Gold Coast Art Fair runs from 10 am to 6 pm each day. Admission is $10. Children 12 and under are free.

Gold Coast Art Fair History

The 3rd oldest and one of the most well-attended art festivals in Chicago, the Gold Coast Art Fair is often called the “Granddaddy of American Art Festivals” due to its long history. The first Gold Coast Art Fair took place in 1957 with 150 exhibitors. In some years, the fair attracted about 600,000 people. The recent editions of the fair gather over 120,000 attendees. The fair has been a haven for many artists who needed exposure. Cash awards are available for top winning artists. Also, a special Artist VIP tent provides backup support during the festival.